Piano recital begins 50th anniversary events

Published: Friday, Jan. 10, 2014 5:30 a.m. CDT

Westminster Presbyterian Church will host a piano recital that will begin a series of monthly musical events celebrating the church’s 50th anniversary. The recital will be held at 3 p.m. Jan. 19 and will spotlight the church’s Yamaha grand piano, which was purchased from the Chicago Lyric Opera in 1998.

Featured performers will be William Koehler, Abi Mogge, Jan Vander Meer and Victoria Young.

Koehler is professor of music at Northern Illinois University and pianist for DeKalb’s First United Methodist Church. He has performed with numerous artists and ensembles, including the Vermeer, Arianna, Avalon and Prague string quartets.

Mogge is pianist for the DeKalb Festival Chorus and accompanist for the Newman Catholic Student Center. She completed a double major in music and history from Monmouth College in 2004.

Vander Meer is organist and pianist for Westminster and an accompanist for the local women’s chorus, Bread & Roses.

Young is organist and pianist at Westminster and a piano accompanist for NIU’s School of Dance. She studied with William Koehler at NIU where she received a Master of Music degree.

Musical selections will include “Valse” (Op. 64, No. 2) by Chopin; “Clair de Lune” by Debussy; “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” arranged by Jeff Bennett for four-hand piano; “Sonata in D major, Opus 6” for four hands by Beethoven; a blues gospel arrangement of “Amazing Grace”; and a jazz arrangement of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”

The recital is free and open to the public. Westminster Presbyterian Church is located at 830 N. Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb and is fully accessible. Refreshments will be served after the recital.